Carnegie Minerals The Gambia Closed, MD Arrested

Following the Gambia government’s ultimatum to Carnegie Minerals, a mining company that has been operating in the country, to explain their operations in The Gambia, the government yesterday cancelled the company’s license to operate in the country.
 
Reports monitored over GRTS Radio yesterday evening indicated that the government had found the information supplied by the company regarding the nature of their operations in the country as unsatisfactory.

Carnegie Minerals-Gambia Limited is located in Sanyang village, Kombo South, Western Region.

It could be recalled that President Jammeh on 15th January 2008, gave a 24-hour ultimatum, which was later extended to January 21st, for Carnegie Minerals to tell the Gambian public the truth about the kind and quantity of minerals they were actually mining from The Gambia, as well as the actual international value of tonnage so far exported. Failure to meet the above demands was tied to the risk of losing their license to operate in the country.

The press release read on GRTS Radio indicated that the cancellation would be followed by further investigation and institution of possible legal action against the company. “The government will ensure that the employment of the local staff engaged by the company is guaranteed,” the release concluded.

Meanwhile this paper has been reliably informed that Mr. Charles Northfield, a British national, the Managing Director of the company, has been arrested and currently helping the police in their investigations.